Improvement in music-leaf turners



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Music-Leaf-Turner. No.198 990. Patented Jan. 8,1878. I911 N4 PETERS,PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEE. WASHINGTON. 0 CV 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. LIDDELL.

Music-Leaf Turner.

No. 198,990. Patented Jan.' 8 ,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WILLIAM LIDDELL, OF SANDY HILL, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSIC-LEAF TURNERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,990, dated January8, 1878; application filed November 19, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM LIDDELL, of SandyHill, in the county of Washington and State of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention relates to that class of musicleaf turners which areprovided with one or more pivoted arms actuated by suitable springs, andhaving a locking and releasing mechanism so constructed that the pivotedarms are locked and the leaves held against displacement until one ofthe arms is released, when that arm is caused to make a half-revolutionby the reaction of the springs, thereby turn ing the leaf.

My invention consists of the particular construction of the mechanismfor locking and releasing the pivoted arms and for holding the leaves inplace.

The nature of my invention will be fully understood from the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of myimproved music-leaf turner. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus with thecovering removed, so as to expose the mechanism, and showing all thearms locked on one side. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the arms and lockingmechanism. Fig. 6 is a detached plan. view, showing one arm opened. Fig.7 is a similar view, showing the arms in the position for engaging theleaves therewith.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in each of the figures.

A represents the top board of the case of a piano or organ, or any othersupport; and B, the base of the leaf-turner, arranged, preferably, at anangle, so as to give the rack B the proper inclination. O O 0 representa number of arms, arranged one above the other, and pivoted to the baseB at c. The arms 0 C C are provided at their ends withupwardly-projecting wires (1, engaging back of the leaves, and travelingin a semicircular slot, 6, formed in the cover E of the base. f arespiral or other suitable springs connected with the arms 0 O 0 in suchmanner as to retain the arms on the left-hand side of their pivot c.

G represents a locking-segment, provided with a stepped projection, g,having as many shoulders or oifsets as there are arms, the shoulders oroffsets being so arranged that the arms C 0 0 will be released one afteranother as the respective steps or offsets are pushed past the ends ofthe arms. The segment G is provided with a spring, g, for holding it,with the projection g in contact with the arms 0 0 G 71. is a springpawl or dog for actuating the segment G. It is connected with the end ofa hand-lever, I, pivoted to the base B at i, and projecting through aslot, 0, in the front of the base, in convenient reach of the player,the slot 0 serving to limit the sweep of the lever.

7c is a spiral or other suitable spring connected with the inner end ofthe lever I, so as to hold the pawl it away from the segment G. l is astud or projection arranged on the base B, on the inner side of the pawl71, for holding the end of the latter out of engagement with the notchesor ratchets m of the segment G, except when the notch or recess a of thepawl h coincides with the stud l. 0 is an elastic cushion, arranged onthe inner side of the base B, for receiving the impact of the arms G 0 0p is a dog or stop-lever pivoted to the front of the base B, so as toengage, when its inner end is thrown to the left, against the end of thesecond arm 0 holding the latter in such a position as to permit theleaves to be readily engaged between the wires cl. If more than threearms are employed, the dog 1) is provided with as many notches orprojections as there are arms in excess of two, the notches beingarranged at such distances apart as to hold the wires d in the properposition for receiving the leaves.

q is an elastic band or cord secured centrally to the base of the rackB, and provided at its upper end with a ring, 8, engaging over a stop orcatch, t, when the music is placed upon the rack, thereby securelyholding the leaves at the middle, while permitting the same to be freelyturned.

T is an adjustable arm secured to the righthand side of the rack, andprovided with a flat spring, t, bearing against the front of the leaves,for preventing the same from being accidentally turned or displaced. Thespring t is preferably pivoted to the outer end of the arm T, so as tobe readily applied to and removed from'the leaves.

The leaves being arranged on the righthand side of the rack B, with theelastic cord q holding them at the middle, and the wires d of the arms 0O 0 bearing against the rear side of the leaves, the device is ready foroperation.

Upon moving the hand-lever I to the left the pawl it engages in thefirst notch m of the segment G, swinging the latter to the rightuntil'the upper step of the projection g releases the upper arm 0, whichlatter is now' swung to the left, thereby turning the leaf resting onits wire d. The elasticity of the spring t permits this leaf to bewithdrawn from imder the spring, but at the same time gaging the pawlfrom the ratchets of the segmentG. The base B is provided at both endswith laterally-projecting flanges u, fitting in ways 41, secured to thetop board or support A. The ways o are made tapering backwardly, so thatthe flanges a will bind upon being inserted therein, thereby holding thedevice firmly in place, while permitting it to be readily withdrawn whennot required for use.

If desired, each of the arms 0 C C may be formed of wire, in one piece,with a vertical wire arranged centrally onthe rack B, and secured withits upper end tothe rack, so that the vertical wire will form at thesame time a pivot and torsional spring to the arm, thereby dispensingwith the springs j.

It is obvious that the hand-lever I may be connected with a treadle orpedal of any suitable construction for operating it by the pressure ofthe foot, if so preferred. I

It is also obvious that instead of providing the projection g of thesegment G with steps or ofi'sets, as shown, the same may be made ofuniform thickness, and the arms 0 O O of varying length, whereby thesame result will be attained.

The ends of the arms 0 O C are notched,

very eificient, only a slight movement of the hand-lever I beingrequired to turn the leaf,

while at the same time the leaves are held against displacement by thewind or other causes, which is very desirable in music-racks designedfor'use in the open air. The wear and tear on the leaves is also greatlyreduced. I I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with one'or morepivoted arms, 0, of the pivoted segment G, provided with projection g,pawl h, and actuat' ing-lever I, substantially as and for the purposeset forth. 2. The combination, with aseries of pivoted arms, 0 O G, ofthe pivoted segment G, provided with stepped projection g and notches m,pawl h, and actuating-lever I, substantially as and for the purpose setforth. I

3. The combination, with one or more pivoted arms, 0, of the pivotedsegment G, provided with projection g and notches m, pawl h, having arecess, a, stop I, and actuating-lever I, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth. 4. The combination, with a series of pivoted arms, 0G 0 and segment Gr, provided with projection g, of the pivoted dog 19,substantially as and for the purpose set' for'th.

5. The combination, with the series of pivoted arms 0 O O and rack B, ofthe adjust able arm T and spring t, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

6. The combination, with the top board or support A, provided withtapering ways '0, of the base B, provided with lateral flanges u,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

- WILLIAM LIDDELL.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, GnAs. J. BUGHHEIT.

